The Labor enquirer., 1887-08-06
quite another thing. He had no trade,

quite another thing. He had no trade,
and while his capacity as farmer on scien-
tific methods ought to give him paying
employment in the country, the city held
nothing for him. Work for Lieschen and
Lotte was easy. A week or two of ap-
premiership would teach them all that
need be known to do the work ON cheap
coats or pantaloons, but even for them it
was certain that the country would be
better.
1t was here that Grossvater Bauer de-
veloped unexpected obstinacy. He had q
little money. He was still strong and in
good case. Here was this great city
which must have work of some nature,
and which, SO far as weighing upon him
as Lotte had feared seemed to have for
him curious fascination. He haunted
the wharves. The smell Of the sea and
the tarred ropes of the ships bewitched
him, and on the wharves he soon found
work, and loaded and unloaded all day
contentedly, with feeling that this after
all was more like living than anything
could have been in the home fields where
only the ghosts of his own remaiued to
have place at his side.
1t is now only that the story of Lotte
begins,-Lotte, who pined for the great
farm and the fields across which the winds
swept, and the cows she had named and
cared for. Her mother forgot, or did not
care. She had never loved her work, and
liked better to chatter with the other wo-
men in the house, or even to run the ma
chine hour after hour, than to milk, or
feed the cattle, or churn. Lotte hated the
machine. Her back ached, her eyes burn
ed, and her heart throbbed after only an
hour or two of it. "Let me take place."
she begged, but the Grossvater shook his
head angrily. This was free country.
There was no need that she should serve.
Let her be contented and thankful she
could earn so much. For with their sim
pie habits the wages paid in 1881 seemed
wealth. Forty-fve cents pair, thr pc Of
which she could make in a day, brought
the weeks earnings to eight dollars, some
times to nine dollars, and Peter prophe-
sled that it might be even ten or twelve
dollars. Lieschen had as much. Down
on the wharf the Grossvater earned some
times eighteen dollars week. It was a
fortn,.-. At home, in the best of times,
with sons and daughters all at work, his
books which he kept always with the accu-
racy of a merchant, showed something
under $1,000 year as receipts, the e1-
penses hardly varying from the $736.28
which represented the maintenance Of the
family during Hans first year as soldier.
Their food ration at home had been nine
and half cents daily. Wheat bread had
stood for festivals and high days. Black
bread, cabbage soup, beer, cheese and
sausage, with meat on Sundays, had been
their only ambition as to food, and here
Grossvater Bauer insisted upon the same
regimen, aud frowned as one by one the
fashions of the new country crept in. Pc
ter had been right after all. One must
work, it is true, but no harder and no
longer and the return was double. The
little iron chest which had held the savings
at home held them here, and at rare inter
walls the Grossvater allowed Lotte to look,
and said as he turned over the shining
coins, "Thou wilt have most, my Lotte-
chen. 1t is for thee that I put them
away"
"There is enough for little farm"
Lotte said one day. "We could go on
this Long Island and have land, and not
be shut all day in these dark rooms"
'That is slower" the Grossvater said.
1--WE will go back with much money when
it is earned, and shall be owner, and
thou, Lotte, the mistress, and Franz may
be will go Also"
Lotte shook her head, though her cheeks
were pink.
FRANZ cares only for America" she
said. "Come with US some day, Grossva-
ter, and let us look at the little house he
knows. There is land, two acres, and a
barn and COW, and all for so little.
could be stronger them"
"That is folly" the old man said angri-
ly. "It would be but shillings there
where here it is dollars. Wait and you
will see."
Lotte looked after him wonderingly as
he turned away. To. save was becoming
his passion. He grudged her shoes
and even the dress she must have
though no one had so little. Peterrevolt.
ed openly and came less and less. Lies
chen cried, but still looked at the weeks
wages as compensation for many evils
and Lotte worked on, the pink spot fixing
itself on her cheek, and her blue eyes
growing sadder with every week. Franz
the son of their old neighbor at home
hated this crowded city as she did, and
urged her to take her chances and marry